Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy event offers weekend of gardening, education and environmental stewardship
If your garden could talk, it might be asking for something a little more local.
A weekend rooted in sustainability — and a little dirt under the fingernails — is returning to Harleysville as the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy is inviting residents to rethink their landscapes at its annual Native Plant Sale, set for Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Dragonfly Farm in Jacob Reiff Park, Harleysville, In Lower Salford Township.
The two-day event offers visitors access to more than 150 species of Pennsylvania-native plants, from flowering perennials and grasses to shrubs, trees, vines and ferns. Conservancy staff and volunteers will be on-site throughout the weekend to help residents select plants suited to their landscape while explaining how native species support pollinators, improve soil health and reduce the need for chemical inputs.
But the sale is only part of the experience. The weekend is designed as a hands-on introduction to the natural world, with several guided programs giving visitors a closer look at how these plants function beyond the garden bed.
On Saturday, attendees can join a butterfly garden tour, where the Conservancy’s education staff will walk participants through specially designed habitats installed around Reiff Park. These gardens are built to support butterflies through every stage of their life cycle — from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to adult — highlighting the critical role native plants play in sustaining pollinator populations.
Eight spots remain for the butterfly tour as of Tuesday afternoon.
Later that afternoon, a “Lawn to Native Garden” workshop will take a deeper dive into rethinking traditional yards. The session will cover practical strategies for reducing turf grass, expanding native plantings and designing landscapes that support biodiversity while cutting down on maintenance and environmental impact. Participants will also receive a voucher toward plant purchases at the sale.
On Sunday morning, the focus shifts to exploration with a guided wildflower walk across the park’s 72 acres. Led by Conservancy experts, the walk offers a chance to see native plants in their natural setting, including areas where more than 10,000 native species have been planted. Visitors can expect to learn how to identify wildflowers, understand their ecological roles and observe the activity of pollinators and other wildlife in the field.
Adding another layer to the event, the Lower Salford Historic Society will be on hand with information about the history of Jacob Reiff Park and the surrounding area, connecting the region’s environmental story with its past.
Founded in 1964, the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy has spent decades working to protect and restore the land and waterways of the Perkiomen Creek watershed, a nearly 400-square-mile region in southeastern Pennsylvania. Through conservation projects, water quality monitoring, education programs and community outreach, the organization focuses on safeguarding natural resources while helping residents become better stewards of their environment.
From stream restoration and habitat improvement to tree plantings and outdoor education, the Conservancy’s work is both scientific and deeply local—aimed at ensuring clean water, resilient ecosystems and healthier communities for generations to come.
Events like the Native Plant Sale bring that mission into everyday life, offering residents a simple way to make a difference — one plant, one yard, one small patch of earth at a time.
